There is overwhelming evidence from research in positive psychology that people who are happy are more successful. Positivity is related to higher levels of job performance, supervisory evaluations and perceived customer service. Positive people perform better because they are more motivated and more effective. This is due to a number of benefits associated with experiencing positive emotions:

Psychological benefits – Positive people have more energy and are more self-confident and hopeful. Because of this they tend to set higher goals and expend more effort in order to reach their goals. They are also more resilient, which helps them bounce back and persevere despite setbacks.

Mental benefits – Happy brains are smart brains. While negativity narrows our focus to help us respond to a threat, positivity does just the opposite; it opens us up, broadening the range of ideas that come to mind. This helps positive people see multiple solutions to problems and make better decisions. It also leads to greater creativity. 

Social benefits - People feel more connected to others when they experience positive emotions. This leads to high quality relationships at work, which are related to personal growth, creativity, motivation, and productivity. Close relationships are a source of emotional support and they provide resources necessary for task accomplishment. People in high quality relationships exchange more information, are better at coordinating their efforts and have less conflict. 

Health benefits - Positive people are physically healthier. They have lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, lower levels of stress-related hormones, and stronger immune systems. Positivity reduces the probability of heart failure, stroke and diabetes. People who experience more positive emotions sleep better, are less anxious and have fewer colds, all of which improve productivity.

Are you interested in improving employee performance? Creating a more positive workplace is the key! Learn more from Beth's book Beyond Happy.